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Hierarchical TiO2-B nanowire@α-Fe2O3 nanothorn core-branch arrays as superior electrodes for lithium-ion microbatteries

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Abstract

This paper reports a simple yet efficient method for the synthesis of hierarchical TiO2-B nanowire@α-Fe2O3 nanothorn core-branch arrays based on a stepwise hydrothermal approach. The as-fabricated hybrid arrays show impressive performance as a high-capacity anode for lithium-ion batteries. The key design in this study is a core-branch hybrid architecture, which not only provides large surface active sites for lithium ion insertion/extraction, but also enables fast charge transport owing to the reduced diffusion paths for both electrons and lithium ions. The peculiar combination of attributes of TiO2 (good structural stability) and Fe2O3 (large specific capacity) provides the hybrid array electrodes with several desirable electrochemical features: large reversible capacity (∼800 mA·h·g−1 for specific mass capacity and ∼750 μA·h·cm−2 for specific areal capacity), good cycling stability, and high rate capability. The impressive electrochemical performance, together with the facile synthesis procedure, may provide an efficient platform to integrate the TiO2 nanowire@Fe2O3 nanothorn core-branch arrays as a three-dimensional thin film electrode for lithium-ion microbatteries.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China

    Hui Xia & Wen Xiong

  2. Herbert Gleiter Institute of Nanoscience, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Xiaolingwei 200, Nanjing, 210094, China

    Hui Xia & Wen Xiong

  3. School of Engineering, Nanyang Polytechnic, 180 Ang Mo Kio Ave 8, Singapore, 569830, Singapore

    Chiew Keat Lim & Yadong Wang

  4. Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117585, Singapore

    Qiaofeng Yao & Jianping Xie

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  1. Hui Xia
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  2. Wen Xiong
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  3. Chiew Keat Lim
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  4. Qiaofeng Yao
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  5. Yadong Wang
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Correspondence to Hui Xia, Yadong Wang or Jianping Xie.

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Xia, H., Xiong, W., Lim, C.K. et al. Hierarchical TiO2-B nanowire@α-Fe2O3 nanothorn core-branch arrays as superior electrodes for lithium-ion microbatteries. Nano Res. 7, 1797–1808 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-014-0539-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-014-0539-3

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